We expect to host over 30 million tourists in 2012

Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ertugrul Gunay said that Turkey expected to host over 30 million tourists in 2012.

ANKARA

Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ertugrul Gunay on Monday said that Turkey expected to host over 30 million tourists in 2012.

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), Ertugrul Gunay stressed that hosting around 30 million tourists was a good figure."We are experiencing serious tension with Syria. We have a political difficulty with Iran. When you consider the fact that our traditional guests, the Israelis, are not coming to Turkey for the past four years, we began the year with a loss of two million tourists," Gunay underlined."When I look at occupancy rates, they are not so bad. However, compared to 2011, there are certain declines in our tourism sector," Gunay noted.